Admission: $4.00. Historic New England members and Cambridge residents are complementary. Tours are on a first come first served basis and are limited to 12 persons per tour.

Normall open to the public only by special arrangement, The Cooper-Frost-Austin house will be open for house tours on May 18 & August 10, 2008. The Cooper-Frost-Austin house is clearly documented as the oldest dwelling still standing in the City of Cambridge. Built by Samuel Cooper c. 1690, the house was one of the earliest examples of a intergral lean-to "half house," comprising a "Low room," "little room," "kitchen," "chamber," "kitchin chamber," "garret," and "cellar." Other original features include a pilaster chimney and a facade gable.

Shortly after Samual Cooper's death in 1718, his son Walter extended the house to the west, thus completing the main block of the house and presenting a symmetrical facade elevation. The earliest remaining sash in the house dates from Walter Cooper's ownership.

The house was further enlarged by Martha Frost Austin and Thomas Ausitn during their residency from 1807 to 1816. They constructed a long shed and carriage house at the west end, added an enclosed entry porch, and introduced a Federal staircase and similarly styled trim.

The Longfellow House bookstore features works, books, and cd's by Henry W. Longfellow, as well as a variety of other books by 19th century poets. In addition, to the works of Longfellow, the bookstore has available gardening books related to Longfellow garden, poetry translations, Afro-American poetry, and 18th and 19th century games for children.